Steve McQueen’s On Any Sunday Husky for sale

The 1970 Husky 400 Cross ridden by Steve McQueen on the beach in the 1971 cult motorcycle documentary On Any Sunday is going up for auction in October at the Barber Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama.

The bike is expected to fetch a significant amount of interest if previous McQueen bikes are any gauge.

It was the most expensive bike sold at auction until Australia Day this year when a 1951 Vincent Black Lightning on which Jack Ehret set an Australian speed record was bought at the Bonham’s annual Las Vegas motorcycle auction for a record $US929,000 ($A1,155,000, €748,500) by an unknown collector who is returning the bike to Australia.

Hefty Husky

The Husqvarna 400 Cross should fetch a high price, although not quite $1m. It sold at a Bonham’s action in 2011 for $US144,500.

The Husky also featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated ridden by a shirtless McQueen, the King of Cool.

Sports Illustrated cover photo

It will be offered with extensive documentation, including the ownership card from the California Department of Motor Vehicles naming Solar Productions (McQueen’s production company) and McQueen’s entry form for the 1970 Saddleback 500 Senior Race.

Adding to the star value is a lucky penny – an uncirculated 1960 1¢ coin (1960 being the birth year of son Chad) – that was found inside a clear plastic case tucked away in the cavity of the motorcycle between the engine and frame.